All I Want For Christmas Is You
by Apocalyptic-Fairytale
Summary: All of Cloud's friends gave him gifts. But all Cloud wants is the one gift he can't have. A Christmas story set after the game. R&R... no flames please.


_All I want For Christmas...._

It was another Christmas Eve for Cloud Strife. All of AVALANCHE were gathered in Seventh Heaven. His friends were all celebrating Christmas at a party Tifa and Yuffie decided to throw. A tall Christmas tree was stood in the corner, decorated with all different sized ornaments and bright colored lights. Christmas music was being played as the team mingled with each other.

Cloud was close to one of the snack tables, he quickly gulped down some eggnog. He didn't really like this time of year, it brought back painful memories of when he lost Aerith. So he usually stayed away from everyone if he was forced to attend one of these parties and tried to dull the pain with alcohol. Without him realizing it, Yuffie had walked up to Cloud. He was about to gulp more down when he heard Yuffie speak. "Cloud! What are you doing wayyy over here?"

Yuffie being Yuffie didn't give Cloud a chance to explain, even if he wasn't. "Everyone's handin' out gifts. C'mon!" And Yuffie pranced back to all of the other friends that were gathered around the Christmas tree.

Cloud received gifts from all of his friends.

Tifa gave him a new wallet. So he could hold his things properly.

Barret decided to get him a set of new driving goggles. "Hehehe, here, Spikey. I thought you'd need a new pair."

Yuffie handed him a long thin black box, a white bow tied around it. Cloud wasn't the least bit surprised at what he saw in the box. It was a long silver chain necklace with a small orange Topaz birthstone inside of a star. "Thanks... "

"No problem. Although, I don't think it'll match you." The Ninja said with glee as she hoped he would give it back. "Yea, no kidding. Maybe because it's _your_ birthstone? I mean, never mind the fact that _guys_ kinda don't wear necklaces..." Cloud said while shaking his head in slight annoyance. "Here, merry Christmas..." and he handed the jewelry back to her. "Oh, wow! Thanks Cloud!" She wrapped the necklace around her neck, "I've always wanted one like this." The young ninja had a wide grin on her face as she turned to leave.

Cid bought Cloud a nice wooden box of fancy Cigars--despite the fact that Cloud _didn't_ smoke-- Cid said in a deep town, "Now be a man, boy." And he tossed the gift at him. Cloud accepted even though they were completely useless.

Red XIII walked to Cloud, a soft gift in his mouth. Cloud bent down to take it from him. Inside was a black, leather jacket. This, Cloud could use. _"...pretty good..._" Cloud thought. He patted Red on the head and gave him his gift in return.

Reeve had given Cloud a newer phone. "This way we can keep in touch more." A wide smile on his wrinkled face. Cloud accepted his friend's gift and gave him his.

Denzel and Marlene had made Cloud's gift from scratch. It was a small box tied with a pink bow. Cloud bent down on one knee and took the gift. He opened it to find a dozen small sugar cookies. "We made them ourselves, Cloud." Said Denzel. Cloud let an honest smile spread across his face as he handed the children their gifts. "Thanks..." Cloud said.

By the time the last gift was coming around, Cloud's heart was being weighed down even more from the sadness of missing the one gift taken away from him.

It was Vincent's turn to hand Cloud a Christmas gift. And to be honest Cloud wasn't sure what to really imagine Vincent getting him. So when he handed him his gift, he was shocked. It was a small box. There were no bows, no wrapping paper, just a blank box. When Cloud lifted the the lid he could have sworn his heart stopped. Lying there was a small glowing, green orb. It looked like materia but wasn't exactly. Cloud knew what it was and seeing it again sent cold stabs through his heart._"--Aerith's holy..."_

Cloud didn't know what to say, he just stared in amazement, _"How did he find this...?"_ Cloud asked himself. Vincent spoke in a serious tone as if reading Cloud's mind. " I have my ways of how I found this. Just be thankful you have it, Cloud." Cloud looked up at Vincent, his blue eyes were glazed over with never-falling tears. All Cloud could say was a hushed, "--Thank you..."

It was bad enough, all night Cloud was beaten over the head with the fact that Aerith wasn't there to celebrate and that this was when Aerith died, but Vincent's gift was like an icy knife jabbing through his heart. He was happy to have found it, but at the same time, it pained his heart to realize she wasn't there with him. Cloud couldn't stand the pain anymore and he told his friends he was going out for awhile.

After a while of driving Cloud was deep in the ruined Midgar. He was stopped at a empty area called _8h street_. The very same place he and Aerith first met. This same place was when he first laid eyes on her, the first time he witnessed the beauty in her innocent smile. The day his life started...

He leaned to the cement floor on his knees. His hands to his side as he stared off into space. He would have felt the cold breeze if he wasn't so pained from the hurt in his heart. He sat there remembering everything about Aerith that he loved so dearly. She was everything to him and he was without her. All of his friends had given him gifts. Some he could use, some he couldn't. He appreciated all the gifts but none of them were what he really wanted most.

The lonely, heart broken man wanted one thing for Christmas...

Cloud looked to the floor, tears building at the corners of his eyes. Large fluffy snowflakes started to drift around. Images of Aerith rushed Cloud's mind as he sat in loneliness. He reached in his pocket and held Aerith's holy in his hand. This was the last thing he had of Aerith and he was going to cherish it forever. He was thankful that Vincent found it and give the Holy to him, but still, he couldn't help but want her back with him...

_"--All I want for Christmas...is you, Aerith" _

_The end  
_

_**XXX... This was a really short and rushed fanfic. I had the idea jump at me last night when I was listening to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You" and I wanted to make it. It's a little angsty but not too much. I hope you enjoyed reading it, thanks for the look. R&R please.  
**_


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